Relay socket

ABSTRACT

A relay socket for electrically connecting the terminals of a relay plug to external lead wires comprises a plurality of socket units assembled in a row, each of said socket units including a center base having upper recesses for receiving the terminals of the relay plug and two leadout portions provided at the opposite sides of said center base and each having leadout terminal beds defining a terminal space adapted to receive the external lead wire. Said upper recesses are each connected to a front recess formed on the front surface of said center base and to the terminal space defined by said leadout terminal bed, and metallic connecting means extend from the upper recess of said center base to the terminal space.

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Well. l5, 11972 United States Paten 54i RELAY SOCKET FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS France ..............,...,............339/198 P 9 5 9 H 8 2 3 5 0 a m a y a k U Z e T m D. a .N n 4 3w 0 w mi i Uh m y TS n O t n e V .m l 2 7 1,048,976 1/1959 Germany..............,,,..........

OTHER PUBLICATIONS -Dunn, Electro [22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1969 Struthers Technologydune 1964. p. 169

Appl. No.:

Primary ExaminerMarvin A. Champion 30 F I orelgn Apphcauon Pnomy Data Assistant Examiner-Lawrencel. Staab May 22, 1969 Att0rneyl lall, Pollock & Vande Sande ABSTRACT A relay socket for electrically connecting the terminals of a 339/262 R ...H0llr33/76 I51] llnt.

Field y 9] relay plug to external lead wires comprises a plurality of 319/192, 198,206,207210156 R, 256 RT, 256 S,

socket units assembled in a row, each of said socket units including a center base having upper recesses for receiving the e 1 P S 40 Qu 1 a 258 258 258 258 terminals of the relay plug and two leaduut portions provided References receive the external lead wire. Said upper recesses are each connected to a front recess formed on the front surface of said UNITED STATES PATENTS center base and to the terminal space: defined by said leadout terminal bed, and metallic connecting means extend from the upper recess of said center base to the terminal space.

Wackwitz 339/ G 3 tClaims, 7 Drawing Figures De Smidt.......................:

e h .m R 226 255 999 H 544 93. 707 ,3. 7 3 94 ,5 22

minnows-191a $643,210

SHEET 1 [1F 3 INVENTOR TEIZO FUJITU v BY Hm, Mai M 5M ATTORNEY PATENTEBFEB 15 I972 SHEET 2 [IF 3 INVENTOR TEIZO FUJITU BY HML, PH A ATTORNEY magnum 1s m SHEET 3 0F 3 INVENTOR T 20 PW rm ATTORNEY RELAY socrns'r This invention relates to a relay socket for making electrical connections between terminals of a relay plug and external lead wires.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a relay socket including a center base having recesses formed in the upper surface thereof for receiving the terminals of the relay plug, and leadout portions provided at the opposite sides of the center base and each having a plurality of leadout terminal beds defining spaces adapted to receive the external lead wires. The relay socket is preferably constituted by a plurality of socket units arranged in a row, each of the socket units including its own recesses for receiving therein relay terminals and its own terminal beds, .each of the socket units being also formed at the front surface thereof with recesses for inserting therein metallic connecting means extending from the relay terminal receiving recesses to the respective terminal beds.

According to the present invention, there is provided a simply constructed relay socket and the metallic connecting means can be readily mounted in the socket. The present invention may more effectively be applied especially to a relay socket in which the leadout terminal beds provided at the opposite sides are formed stepwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the socket assembly shown in FIG. I; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the socket assembly of the present invention and the relay used therewith;

FIG. 4 shows a front view of a socket unit forming a part of the socket assembly;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the socket unit as well as the metallic connecting means and end plate used for the assemblage of the socket units;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation showing, in vertical section, the relationship between the plug-in terminal of the relay and the metallic connecting means; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing the metallic connecting means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a socket assembly which comprises a plurality of socket units 1. Each socket unit l is formed of a molded insulating material and includes a rectangular base disposed in the center thereof. The socket unit 1 has stepped terminal beds ll2a and ll2b provided at the opposite sides thereof. Behind each of the terminal beds 12a and ll2b there is provided a vertically extending separator 13 which has a stepped form corresponding to the steps provided by the terminal beds 12a and 12b. In the base 11 of each socket unit 1, recesses lllla, llla and 1 lb, llllb for receiving therein the plug-in terminals 2a of a relay 2 are formed toward the front end of the base 11 in such a manner that recesses 11b, 11b are interposed between the recesses 11a and 11a. The intermediate recesses 11b have a greater depth than the outer recesses 11a. The shallower recesses 11 a and the terminal bed 12a providing the upper steps adjacent to the base 11 are communicated together via recesses lllc which connect the bottom surface of the recesses 110 with the top surface of the corresponding terminal beds 12a. Similarly, the deeper recesses lllb and the terminal beds 1% providing the lower steps remote from the base 111 are communicated together via recesses llld which connect the bottom surface of the recesses 11!] with the top surface of the corresponding terminal beds l2b. Each of the recesses Illa, llllb, ll lc and lllld is open at its front end.

As shown in FIG. 5 metallic connecting means 3 and 4 respectively include plug-receiving terminals 31 and M which are to be received in the recesses Ella and llb formed in the base Ill, and L-shaped connecting plates 32 and 42 which are to be received in the recesses llla, lllc and recesses Ilb, llld respectively. The plug-receiving terminals 31 and M are fitted to the connecting plates 32 and 42 at one end thereof. At the other end of the connecting plates 32 and 42 there are formed internally threaded holes 32a and 42a for receiving therein terminal screws 5. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the plug-receiving terminals 311 and ll are fitted to the connecting plates 32 and 4l2 in such a manner that the plug-receiving terminals 3i and 41 are inwardly bent at its opposite ends so as to embrace and bear against the connecting plates 32 and 42 at the narrowed shoulder portions thereof. The plug-receiving terminals 31 and 41 have inwardly directed projections 31a and Ma formed by punching the plug terminals at the center thereof so that these projections 31a and 41a are in hooking engagement with the opposed wall portions of the connecting plates 32 and 42 through apertures 32c and 420 formed therethrough. The hooking engagement between the projections 31a, 41a and the connecting plates 32, 42 provides a clearance for receiving the relay terminals 2a between the connecting plates 32, t2 and the surrounding plugs receiving terminals 31, M at the upper end thereof as viewed in FIG. 7.

According to the present invention, a plurality of such socket units II as described above are assembled together to form a relay socket. The firm assemblage of these socket units is ensured by the special arrangement of the socket units as will be described below. As shown in FIGS. l and 2, the base ll of each socket unit I has a back end portion lle projected with respect to the back end surface of the separators 13 disposed at the opposite sides of the base ll, while the front end portion lllf of the base 11 is recessed with respect to the front end surface of the terminal beds 12a, 12b disposed at the opposite sides of the base 111. Thus, in assembling the socket units 1 together, the projected back end portion lie of a socket unit is snugly fitted into the recessed front end portion llf of an adjacent socket unit 1 so that there is provided a secure joint between the adjacent socket units 1. The joint between the socket units l is further enhanced by protrusions lllg formed in the front end surface of each base 11 as shown in FIGS. 4, and 5, which protrusions securely engage recesses (not shown) formed in the back end surface ofeach base 111.

Each socket unit ll further includes an integral mounting member 14 outwardly projected from the lower center portion of the back end surface of the base Ill, and a recess 15 formed in the corresponding location of the front end surface of the base 11 (FIGS. l and 2). The recess l5 thus provided in the front end surface of a socket unit has a contour complementary to the configuration of the projected mounting member Ml formed in the back end surface of an adjacent socket unit I, so that the recess 15 and the corresponding mounting member M cooperate with each other to assist the close fitting between adjacent socket units 1 when the socket units are assembled together.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is an end plate 6 formed of molded insulating material. This end plate 6 is attached to the front end surface of the foremost socket unit after the assemblage of the socket units 1 has been completed. The end plate 6 comprises a center base 61 and two separators 62 provided at the opposite sides thereof. The end. plate 6 further comprises a mounting member 61a provided in the back end surface thereof, and a mounting member 6llb provided in the front end surface thereof. The mounting member 61b in the back end surface of the end plate 6 is located and configured similarly to the aforementioned mounting member 14 provided in each socket unit I, and is intended to be received into the recess 15 formed in the adjacent socket unit I. The mounting member 610 provided in the front end surface of the end plate 6 is located in alignment with the opposite mounting member 61b, while it is of greater dimensions suitable to receive thereinto the mounting member 14 of a socket unit if the socket assembly is further assembled to another socket assembly. Also, the front and back end surfaces of the end plate base 61 provide stepped portions 610 which are outwardly projected with respect to the front and back end surfaces of the opposite separators 62 so that the stepped portions 61c can cooperate with the recess 1 l f provided by the front end of the socket unit base 11. The foremost socket unit 1 and end plate 6 have holes 11h and 61d, respectively, for receiving therein securing means such as rivets 7 when the end plate 6 is attached to the socket unit 1. The terminal beds 12a and 12b are formed with recesses which are open at the upper and front surfaces thereof so as to define spaces for receiving metallic connecting means, as described hereunder.

in the shown embodiment of the present invention, three socket units 1 are assembled together with the metallic connecting means 3 and 4 fitted in the recesses 11a, 11c and recesses 11b, 11d respectively, and the end plate 6 is securely attached to the socket assembly at the front end thereof by inserting therivets 7 into the holes 11h and 61d. There is thus provided a complete relay socket assembly which has three rows of terminal leadsout as shown in FIG. 1, and which is similar in appearance to the conventional relay socket. The base 11 of each socket unit 1 has an elongated recess lli formed in the upper surface thereof so as to receive therein a downward projection 211 provided in the lower surface of the relay 2 having plug-in terminals 2a. The cooperation between the recesses lli in the socket units 1 and the downward projections 2b of the relay provides a stable fitting between the relay and the socket assembly. The base 61 of the end plate 6 is also provided with an elongated recess 61e in the upper surface thereof, but this recess 61a is only intended to increase the'aesthetic appearance of the socket assembly and such a recess may actually be dispensed with. Of course, the elongated recesses lli and 61e need not be provided if the relay 2 in use has no downward projection 2b.

According to the present invention, there is provided a socket comprising a center base having relay terminal receiving recesses formed in the upper surface thereof, and leadout terminal beds disposed at the opposite sides of the center base, characterized in that the socket is divided into units arranged in rows each of which is constituted by a plug-in terminal receiving recess and terminal beds arranged in series. This arrangement permits the metallic connecting means 3 and 4 to be readily mounted to each socket unit 1 laterally thereof, which means that the socket assembly can be achieved more effectively with less trouble than by the prior art. Further, the mounting 'member 14 provided at one end of each socket unit 1 cooperates with the recess 15 provided at the corresponding end of an adjacent socket unit 1 so as to readily facilitate the assemblage of the socket units 1. Moreover, the outwardly projected mounting members 14 and 61a provided in the opposite end surfaces of the socket assembly allows the assembly to be readily secured to a narrow mounting rail or the like. Furthermore, the plug receiving terminals 31 and 41 can be mounted on the connecting plates 32 and 42 of the metallic connecting means 3 and 4 simply by providing an engagement therebetween.

Also, the present invention may be advantageously applied to a relay socket of a complicated construction in which the terminal beds disposed at the opposite sides of the socket comprises a plurality of stepped portions. A further advantage of the present invention is that any desired number of socket units 1 may be assembled together to form a socket assembly which is suitable for use with a number of relays 2. While the present invention has been shown to use three socket units 1 for a socket assembly, the number of the socket units 1 to be assembled together is not limited thereto but may be variable as desired, and this in turn leads to an advantage that the socket assembly of the present invention may be simply made suitable for use with a relay having any desired number of rows of plug-in terminal other than three rows. Thus, it is not necessary to manufacture the sockets in a finished form having a predetermined number of rows of leadout terminal as has been the case with the prior art, and this means a great advantage in the inventory control on the part of the suppliers.

What is claimed is:

l. A relay socket for electrically connecting the terminals of a relay plug to external lead wires comprising: a plurality of socket units assembled together in a row; each of said socket units having an exterior wall surface separably fittable in front-to-back relationship with the complementary wall surface of an adjacent one of said socket units, each of said socket units having a center base disposed at the center portion of said socket unit and also having two leadout portions disposed at the opposite sides of said center base; each of said center bases having an upper surface formed with a plurality of upper recesses for receiving the terminals of the relay plug, said upper recesses communicating respectively with front recesses formed on the front surface of said center base; each of said leadout portions having a separator defining the back surface of said leadout portion, a plurality of leadout terminal beds mounted on said separator, each of said leadout terminal beds defining a space adapted to receive an external lead wire and communicating with one of said front recesses; and metal lic connecting means extending from said upper recesses of said center base to said spaces defined by said leadout terminal beds, said metallic connecting means comprising an L- shaped connecting plate having one of its ends narrowed to form a shoulder portion, and a plug receiving terminal fitted on said shoulder portion.

2. A relay socket according to claim 1, wherein said leadout terminal beds of said leadout portions are formed stepwise.

3. A relay socket comprising a desired number of socket units assembled together in a row; each of said socket units including a center base having recesses formed in the upper surface thereof for receiving the terminals of a relay, and leadout terminal beds provided at the opposite sides of said center base; metallic connecting means inserted within said socket units between said recesses and said leadout beds; each of said connecting means comprising a substantially L-shaped connecting plate having its upper end shaped to form a shoulder portion, and a plug receiving terminal having end portions bent inwardly to embrace said shoulder portion, said plug receiving terminal having a projection formed in its center portion which is in hooking engagement with said connecting plate through an aperture formed in said connecting plate, there being a clearance provided between said connecting plate and said plug receiving terminal suitable to receive a relay terminal therein. 

1. A relay socket for electrically connecting the terminals of a relay plug to external lead wires comprising: a plurality of socket units assembled together in a row; each of said socket units having an exterior wall surface separably fittable in front-to-back relationship with the complementary wall surface of an adjacent one of said socket units, each of said socket units having a center base disposed at the center portion of said socket unit and also having two leadout portions disposed at the opposite sides of said center base; each of said center bases having an upper surface formed with a plurality of upper recesses for receiving the terminals of the relay plug, said upper recesses communicating respectively with front recesses formed on the front surface of said center base; each of said leadout portions having a separator defining the back surface of said leadout portion, a plurality of leadout terminal beds mounted on said separator, each of said leadout terminal beds defining a space adapted to receive an external lead wire and communicating with one of said front recesses; and metallic connecting means extending from said upper recesses of said center base to said spaces defined by said leadout terminal beds, said metallic connecting means comprising an L-shaped connecting plate having one of its ends narrowed to form a shoulder portion, and a pluG receiving terminal fitted on said shoulder portion.
 2. A relay socket according to claim 1, wherein said leadout terminal beds of said leadout portions are formed stepwise.
 3. A relay socket comprising a desired number of socket units assembled together in a row; each of said socket units including a center base having recesses formed in the upper surface thereof for receiving the terminals of a relay, and leadout terminal beds provided at the opposite sides of said center base; metallic connecting means inserted within said socket units between said recesses and said leadout beds; each of said connecting means comprising a substantially L-shaped connecting plate having its upper end shaped to form a shoulder portion, and a plug receiving terminal having end portions bent inwardly to embrace said shoulder portion, said plug receiving terminal having a projection formed in its center portion which is in hooking engagement with said connecting plate through an aperture formed in said connecting plate, there being a clearance provided between said connecting plate and said plug receiving terminal suitable to receive a relay terminal therein. 